George Baker, who is coming towards the end of his second season training at
Whitsbury in Hampshire, is set to swap one historic yard for another. The 47
year-old is moving to Manton next season.

Baker, 47, who started training in Warwickshire four seasons ago, signed a lease on the Barton yard on the Sangsters’ 2,500 acre estate near Marlborough on Tuesday and he will train there independently of Brian Meehan, who will still occupy the main yard.

Explaining the background to the change, which will mean moving 60 horses in December, Baker said: “It evolved from a discussion with the Sangsters at Glorious Goodwood.

"It was a tentative suggestion which grew. As a team we are very excited to be moving to one of the finest training yards in the country.

"Manton is steeped in horse-racing history and it is a privilege to be joining the roll call of trainers who have been so successful there.”

Since Manton was bought and restored by Robert Sangster in the 1980s, it has always had excess capacity.